What does the board do?
- Helps to shape Who Cares? Scotland’s objectives, strategy and policy.
- Ensures that Who Cares? Scotland is pursuing those strategic objectives in everything we do.
- Oversees the financial management of the organisation and makes sure it acts within the law.
Meet our board members
Ryan McCuaig - Chair
My name is Ryan. I am one of the Care Experienced board members and Chair of the Board. I was in kinship care, looked after at home and I went through the children’s panel before the age of six. Later in life, I managed to graduate with a law degree and I’m now a trainee lawyer. I know that life can sometimes be difficult when you’re young through no fault of your own, but I also think that if you are given the appropriate support, you can achieve your goals. I believe that every Care Experienced person has potential and I will do my best to provide us with a voice on the board of Who Cares? Scotland.
Sarah Blackmore - Vice Chair
I’m a mum of 3, a bad runner and I drink too much coffee! I live in Edinburgh and work south of the border in Sheffield as an Executive Director with Social Work England, the regulator for social workers. I am a qualified social worker and have worked in a variety of places, including frontline practice in Dublin, working with street children and ex-child soldiers in Sierra Leone during the civil war, and managing services for children and families in the UK. I’ve worked across statutory, voluntary and regulatory services. I am passionate about ensuring that Care Experienced people have the same rights, love and support as anyone else in our society, and proud to work with Who Cares? Scotland to help make that happen.
Alicia Santana
Hello! I’m Alicia. I am a musician, an activist for Care Experienced and LGBTQ+ individuals, and I love most types of tea. I grew up in Edinburgh and was in Looked After at Home and Kinship care for most of my childhood. I was not aware that I was Care Experienced until I was introduced to Who Cares? Scotland, where I met other people who had experienced my types of care too. Understanding and exploring your care identity is a really powerful thing; it has changed my life and given me a new family. I believe that we have a really important role as an organisation in supporting those who have been in care to uphold their rights and talk about their experiences to help shape a better future of care.
Carmel Jacob
I am a Care Experienced member of Who Cares? Scotland. I grew up in Kinship Care and lived with my Gran from a young age. Involvement in Who Cares? Scotland has changed my life. It has granted me a sense of belonging and supported me to proudly own my identity as a member of the Care Experienced Community. There is nothing I am more passionate about than advocating for Who Cares? Scotland’s vision of a lifetime of equality, respect and love for Care Experienced People. I believe that everyone has a unique contribution to make to this world. I work as an Educational Psychologist to support children and young people develop socially and emotionally healthy ways of coping with their life experiences and overcoming barriers to learning. I am committed to taking ownership of my role in ensuring that all members of our Care family are provided with the support and encouragement they need to realise their full potential and lead happy and fulfilling lives.
David Middleton
I went to school in Paisley before Glasgow University. I had a career in the public service covering housing, agriculture and transport, becoming Chief Executive of Transport Scotland in 2009, overseeing projects like the Queensferry Crossing and the Borders Railway. Now semi-retired, I chair the Board of the SQA which has links to Who Cares? Scotland. I live in Edinburgh with my wife, our one daughter is nearby. I play golf for exercise. I was involved in the Scout Movement until the early 90s but family, a career and voluntary service didn’t work for me. I would like to do something now.
Euan Haggerty
I’m Euan Haggerty and I am the Group Finance Director of the Cruden Group, one of Scotland’s largest development and construction groups. I am a Chartered Accountant with significant experience of financial control in a corporate environment. I have a background in operational financial management within the property industry and financial services as well as significant corporate finance experience. I joined the Who Cares? Scotland Board in 2015.
Jennifer Royston
I started my career as a commercial lawyer, however since then I have chosen roles which give paramountcy to protecting vulnerable members of our society whether in developing countries or in the United Kingdom. I have worked in Sierra Leone, Iraq, Nigeria and Uganda and I have seen the impact supporting an individual to voice breaches of their human rights can have and also the societal change that can result from enabling community members to work together to advocate for their rights. I currently work as a Children’s Reporter and I aim to ensure that children and young people are at the forefront of any decision I make. I am passionate about assisting Who Cares? Scotland to empower both the individual and the collective voice.
Kevin Timlin
I’m originally from Paisley but moved to Edinburgh to study law. At present, I work as a corporate lawyer at the world’s largest law firm, Dentons. I have been fortunate enough to complete an international secondment in China, corporate finance experience in the City of London and a secondment to the legal team of a large energy company in Scotland. I completed my legal training at the University of Edinburgh. Following graduation, I undertook a period of teaching at the Université de Montpellier in France and completed internships at the European Parliament in Brussels. As a Care Experienced individual, I fully recognise how fortunate I have been and how much help I have been given along the way! I know that not everyone is afforded the same opportunities. I want to join the board to continue the great work of Who Cares? Scotland and strive to ensure that being Care Experienced does not have to define an individual for life. I want to make change and will work hard to do whatever I can to help improve outcomes for all Care Experienced people across Scotland.
Lee Davidson
Hello, my name is Lee. I am a member of Who Cares? Scotland as a Care Experienced individual. The ethos of WC?S mirrors my own personal values and beliefs. I am a mindful Health and Well-being Coach who empowers individuals to believe in themselves, teaching tools to help them deal with difficulties and build resilience. My mission in life is to show every child and young person that they are worthy and that they are loved. They can be so much more than what the statistics say. I encourage self-love as a way of becoming the very best version of you. You are enough, just as you are.
Ruth Wallace
I live in Glasgow with my husband Darren and our 3 year old son Edan. I’m a chartered accountant and chartered tax advisor, and a director at KPMG, where I’ve worked for the last 13 years after joining as a graduate. I got my degree in accountancy and marketing at Strathclyde University. As a chartered accountant, I’ve got experience of managing and interpreting financial information. I also spend a lot of my time managing people and really love this aspect of my job. I care about the inequalities Care Experienced people face and understand the impact that this experience can have on someone’s life. I feel passionately about helping Who Cares? Scotland address some of these challenges and supporting others to achieve their potential.
Shaun Brittan
Hi, I’m Shaun. I am a sports fanatic and love the outdoors. I have recently started working as a children and families social worker. I also work in residential care on a part-time basis. I have brief care experience and consider myself very grateful for the support from representatives of Who Cares? Scotland in supporting me to achieve my goals. I like to think I am easy to talk to and will strive to represent the views of care experienced individuals.
Trevor Hillman
I took early retirement in 2019 having completed a career spanning 40 years in commercial insurance. My career included sales, operations and senior leadership, with a responsibility for financial performance and regulatory compliance. I strongly believe in helping people and, as such, I am keen to be part of the Who Cares? Scotland Board and use the career / life skills that I have to ensure that members and the wider Care Experienced community are listened to, treated fairly and with respect. I am a father to my 2 grown up sons and teenage adopted daughter. When the family is not keeping me busy or commenting on my bad dad jokes, I like to get out on the open road with my motorbike.
Get in touch
The board can be contacted at
Board resources
Read more about our governance.
Want to check out the full Resource Library?
Here you’ll find our full range of resources which can be filtered by type and theme depending on what you are looking for.
Paving the Way – Care Experienced People’s Views on the Scottish Government’s Plan to Keep The Promise
In response to the publication of the Scottish Government’s report ‘Keeping the Promise to our Children, Young People, and Families’ in March 2022, Who Cares Scotland facilitated an engagement event for Care Experienced people called ‘The Promise and You’ on 18th June 2022. This report details the findings and recommendations from the conversations and feedback we received from Care Experienced people.
Bairns Supper Report on the National Care Service, February 2022
Following our response to the Scottish Government’s National Care Service (NCS) consultation, we were approached to help create space for people with care experience to share their views on the proposals. We wanted to ensure that the participation activity was
meaningful, asked new questions following on from the Independent Care Review, and explored the extent to which a NCS would meet the outcomes and aspirations of The
Promise.
Response to the Education reform consultation – November 2021
Who Cares? Scotland submits evidence to inform the Education reform consultation, including what we know about what Care Experienced learners need to thrive.
AGM Minutes
Minutes from the 2021 Who Cares? Scotland Annual General Meeting.
Constitution & Articles of Association
Who Cares? Scotland’s Constitution and Articles of Association for Companies House.
Final Annual Accounts
Who Cares? Scotland report and financial statements for the year ending March 2020.
BOARD stories
Meet Our Board- David Middleton
We caught up with board member David Middleton to learn a bit more about him!
Meet Our Board – Lee Davidson
We caught up with board member Lee Davidson to find out more about her!
Meet our Board – Trevor Hillman
We caught up with board member Trevor Hillman to find a bit more about him!
Meet our Board – Carmel Jacob
We caught up with board member Carmel Jacob to find out a bit more about her!
The Most Important Decision of Our Lives
Our vice-chair Megan Moffat explains how we recruited our new CEO, Louise Hunter.
“Our biggest asset is our people” – a blog by our Terrific Trustee winner
Our Trustee Megan Moffat discusses her journey and some of the achievements of Who Cares? Scotland
Blog: I’m influencing change where it matters.
Dionne Mcnicol talks about what it is like to be a Care Experienced member of staff at Who Cares? Scotland.
